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In this issue of Clif’s Notes, I discuss filling the provost position, outline the performance measures for Missouri State, review our budget situation for fiscal year 2014 (next year), and provide several other updates.

Provost Frank Einhellig

At the December Board of Governors meeting, I will recommend that Dr. Frank Einhellig be named provost from Jan. 1, 2013, through June 30, 2014, when Frank plans to retire or return to the faculty.

Frank has served as interim provost since June 26, 2011, and proven to be a respected, effective leader. I know this recommendation has strong support from our administrative team, the academic leadership, faculty, and from others across campus.

I look forward to an additional 18 productive months with Frank as provost. We will conduct a national search for his replacement during the 2013-14 academic year.

Performance funding measures

We have now finalized the performance measures upon which Missouri State University will be evaluated by the Missouri Department of Higher Education. We anticipate that much of the new funds for higher education will be based on our success in achieving these goals. If we meet all five performance measures we would receive 100 percent of the funding identified. If we meet four of the five, we would receive 80 percent. And so on.

There are separate measures for both the Springfield and West Plains campuses. The measures will be evaluated on three-year rolling averages. There are two ways to achieve the measures: show improvement or achieve the “sustained excellence” level identified for each measure where available.

Below you will find the specific measures as well as the definitions for sustained excellence and the comparison groups for achieving that level. We are considering whether we should develop a website on the performance measures; we will update you on that in the near future.

Springfield campus

Performance measure

Definition of sustained excellence

Student success and progressFirst-time, full-time freshmen successfully completing 24 hours in their first academic year

Based on continuous improvement, since we do not have peer-group comparison data for a sustained excellence measure

Increased degree attainmentSix-year cohort graduation rates

At or above the 66th percentile for universities in the Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities

West Plains campus

At or above the 66th percentile from the National Community College Benchmark Project

Percentage of developmental students who successfully complete their last developmental math course who then successfully complete their first college-level math course

At or above the 66th percentile from the National Community College Benchmark Project

Percentage of developmental students who successfully complete their last developmental English course who then successfully complete their first college-level English course

At or above the 66th percentile from the National Community College Benchmark Project

Percentage of career/technical graduates who pass their required licensure/certification examination

At or above 90 percent

Using IPEDs data submitted by MSU-West Plains, measure improvement on the three-year rolling average for the number of credit hours completed per $100 in state appropriation dollars

At or above 80 percent when compared to the 30-member national community college peer group

I wanted you to have these measures so you know that they are being taken seriously and so you know the targets we need to hit in order to receive the maximum amount of performance funding. I hope this leads to conversations in departments, colleges and other units across campus.

We learned Friday that we have achieved all five of the Springfield measures and four of the West Plains measures for this year; thereby assuring additional funding for next year if performance funding is adopted by the legislature. It is expected that new money from performance funding will be relatively small given the failure of Proposition B (see next section).

Fiscal year 2014 budget outlook

We have a plan for this fiscal year (FY13) that includes a 2 percent mid-year raise and no increase in the health plan premiums for calendar year 2013. There are no changes to those commitments. I want to give you a preview of next year, fiscal year 2014.

As you know, Proposition B (increased taxes on tobacco products) failed on Nov. 6. That would have increased funding for education and its failure was disappointing. Increasing our enrollment will more than ever be the main source for new revenue.

Further, we have learned that the University’s contribution to the Missouri State Employees Retirement System (MOSERS) will increase significantly for fiscal year 2014. Missouri State’s contributions will increase by $2.3 million.

In addition, we will have additional increases in on-going expenses such as utilities, rent of facilities with the completion of Brick City, scholarships and other areas.

Given these facts, and absent significant reallocation, I am not optimistic that we will be able to fund another salary increase for fiscal year 2014 beginning on July 1, 2013. We will be having discussions with the Executive Budget Committee to get its input.

My hope is that some of these factors change and that our enrollment increases above projections. If that should occur, we would try again to look at a mid-year raise.

I just thought it was fair to let you know how things look at this moment.

Updates

Meals A Million

I want to thank the hundreds of you who volunteered for the Meals A Million volunteer effort the weekend of Nov. 9-11. In the three days and with several thousand volunteers, a grand total of 1,092,130 meals were prepared for hungry people in the Ozarks, on the East Coast in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, and around the world. Good job to all.

Academic Affairs funding

Frank will provide additional details through the Provost Communiqué, but I wanted to let you know that he is in the process of distributing the $500,000 in ongoing funds for this fiscal year (FY13). After consulting and confirming with the Academic Affairs Budget Committee, the distribution to the colleges is being based primarily on enrollment growth. This fulfills a commitment that Frank and I made a year or so ago: that new and reallocated funds would be distributed to academic units based on increased enrollment.

Shared leave

Remember that you may contribute to the Shared Leave Program again in January for the calendar year 2013. To date, 180 employees have contributed a total of 4,656 hours, the value of which amounts to $118,118.05.

To contribute hours, go to the Profile tab at My Missouri State and then choose Shared Leave Pool in the Employment Details box. I hope you will consider contributing.

Conclusion

Have a safe and happy Thanksgiving break. You deserve it. Please know that I appreciate all you do for Missouri State University.

–Clif

Stephanie “Steph” Anderson has a skill that few people develop, and a talent that cannot be ignored.

Anderson, a senior Missouri State University print journalism major, stands on the sideline of Bear athletics games with her camera in hand, hoping to capture more than a picture.

She explained, “My goal is to evoke a feeling in the viewer that makes them relate to the image. That is the beauty of photojournalism; it brings light to issues or scenes that people may look past on a regular basis.

Demonstrating her ability, she placed third in the nation in the sports picture category of the Associated College Press Photo Excellence Awards on Nov. 4 with a photo featuring Missouri State swimmer Janke Engelbrecht.

“Photojournalism allows me to learn about other people while being creative. I have always enjoyed being creative and challenging myself with each project. Sports especially has a unique challenge because it is so easy to shoot only what is familiar, like a pitcher throwing the ball.”

Anderson initially came to Missouri State to play field hockey, but left the team to focus on photojournalism. She recently finished an internship with the Pittsburgh (Pa.) Tribune-Review, and now works as a photographer for The Standard and Missouri State photographic services.

“I am freelancing for the (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review) this winter break,” Anderson said. “I have made some great friends and mentors there who push me even harder than I push myself.”

About Clif Smart

Clifton "Clif" M. Smart III has served as the 11th president of Missouri State University since June 27, 2011. Smart is known throughout campus and the state of Missouri for his collaborative leadership and strong relationships with students, faculty and staff. During his tenure, the university has continually set new enrollment records, added degree programs and constructed or extensively renovated more than a dozen major campus facilities.
Before his presidency, Smart served as the Missouri State University’s general counsel.